Wake: Friends and Family may call on Wednesday, January 28th at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT, from 5:00 to 8:00pm. Services: Services will be held on Thursday, January 29th at 10am, in St. George Greek Orthodox Church. Burial: Interment will follow the services in St. John’s Cemetery, Richards Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Donations: Donations in Sotiria’s memory may be made to: St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT.

Sotiria Iosifides

December 9, 1926 - January 24, 2015

Sotiria Iosifides (Yiayia Sotira), age 88, wife of the late Konstantinos Iosifides of Norwalk, died peacefully on Saturday, January 24, 2015, in her home at 19 Elm Street, in Norwalk, CT, surrounded by her loving family.

Sotiria was born on December 9, 1926, in Klitos, Greece, to the Reverend Nikolaos and Parthena Kitmirides, refugees from the area of Pontos in Asia Minor during the population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1923.

Although her circumstances limited her opportunity for formal education, she was well schooled on the subjects of life, faith, family, community and culture. Her stoic humor sometimes belied the true strength and wisdom that she possessed. Generations of her offspring will be guided by the valuable lessons that she upheld by example.

When in Greece, she was a hard-working mother and homemaker, while at the same time, fervently assisting her husband in all facets of farm-life. No task was too difficult for her to tackle. While her four children were still in their teens, she and her husband made the difficult choice of immigrating to the US in 1969, in order to secure a better future. Her first job in the US was as a factory worker at Caprice Footwear in East Norwalk, CT, and she later worked at Holson Company Consumer Sales, in Wilton, CT, before choosing to become a full-time caretaker for her elderly in-laws and many grandchildren.

She was an avid volunteer for St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Norwalk, CT, where she gave lovingly of her time, talent and treasures. She was also very supportive of the Pontian Society in Norwalk, CT, in the perpetuation of her culture and heritage.

Sotiria is survived by her four children: Eleni and her husband Kosta of Middletown, RI, Nopi and her husband Gus of Norwalk, CT, Leeza and her husband Telly of Middletown, RI and Jimmy of Norwalk, CT; 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her two sisters, Eleni of Greece and Kiriaky of Tarrytown, NY and more than 25 nephews and nieces.

In addition to her husband Konstantinos, Sotiria was predeceased by her first child, Parthena, at the age of 9 months, her daughter-in-law Georgia and 7 siblings (3 of which died during the Turkish/Greek exchange before she was born, and 4 siblings died subsequently in Greece and the US).

Friends and Family may call on Wednesday, January 28th at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT, from 5:00 to 8:00pm. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 29th at 10am, in St. George Greek Orthodox Church. Interment will follow in St. John’s Cemetery, Richards Avenue, Norwalk, CT.

Donations in Sotiria’s memory may be made to: St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT.

Leeza..my deepest sympathies to you and your family.
Christine from RaNew

January 27, 2015

Christine Giacobbi -

Dearest Eleni and LKeeza and families,
I was so saddened to hear of your mother’s passing. I am blessed to have known her. She was such a wonderful lady.
May God rest her soul.